Meet Frank Ibarra, a Dallas, TX native who turned his passion for sneakers into a hustle and charity for underprivileged youth. Frank is the founder and owner of Dallas’ famous ‘Kicks101’ Sneaker and Apparel Show as well as #KicksForKids, an organization who donates name brand sneakers to children of low income houses. We #COSIGN Frank for all that he does in the community, the culture, and for the city of Dallas. Check out our interview below and follow us Instagram to let us know who you #COSIGN.

At what age did you become fascinated with sneakers and begin your collection?
I started at a young age. I believe I was 12 when my love for sneakers started. But it wasn’t until I was 15 when I bought my first pair of brand name shoes.

How many pair of shoes do you currently own?
Currently I own around 180/200 pairs of shoes.

Why did you name your sneaker & apparel show series Kicks101?
We wanted to introduce the younger generations to the basics of the sneaker culture by naming it kicks101.

Aside from your events what other businesses do you operate in and how important is it to have multiple businesses?
Besides kicks101 sneaker and apparel show. I have a 9-5 job. I also manage a catering business call “Salsa’s Catering Company” and I also have a charity call “Kicks for Kids” , it keeps me busy and I’m humble to have multiple jobs/business, I am very thankful.

With Kicks101 you guys provide #KicksForKids can you tell us more about that? And why you want to give back to kids in this fashion?
We started Kicks for Kids because we wanted to reward kids in a form that contributed to today’s era. With social media now days kids are put in a microscope by their peers. Bullying is very popular with kids. So we wanted to help kids with a low income home or kids that don’t have the funds to buy a fresh pair of kicks. So far in 3 years we have purchased 123 pairs of shoes for 123 students in the Oak Cliff area. (Dallas Texas)

What advice do you have for people wanting to enter the sneaker and apparel industry?
It’s an expensive hobby, and it can get very addicting but the friendships we had made through out the years are priceless.

What’s next for Frank and Kicks101?
We plan to grow every year. We plan to give back to the community in every way we can. Hopefully we can embark other communities with our charity program.

When it’s all said and done what do you want your legacy to be?
I want people to remember me as a loyal , giving person. But most of all I want my kids to remember as the best father in the world. Because all I do is for them !!